Basically, I have two methods for finding links. First, my feed reader. Sometimes I may find a post or two that I want to link to there. But really, what’s in my feed reader is so hit-or-miss that I only use it as a secondary method.

My primary method for finding posts to link to is good, old-fashioned search. I use Google & Google Blog Search regularly. While Google’s search will give you the most popular/relevant links based on your search terms, Google Blog Search will give you the most recent posts, based on your search terms. That’s why I use both.

From time to time I’ll also use Technorati, IceRocket and BlogPulse. The latter I like in general because of its trend search which can help track ‘buzz’ over time for a set of keywords. I use this sometimes to see how hot or cold topics have been.

Sometimes, I don’t link. Other times, I link to a post that’s close, but not exact to my linked text. But the guideline I keep for myself is that the link has to add value and has to be relevant.

So I’m sure you’re wondering how much time this takes. Well, it took me about 20 minutes to write this post. But it took me 25 minutes or so to add in the 27 links. Is the time worth it? I think so. Could I link less and still get benefit? Absolutely. That’s the trade-off; how much time to spend looking for links versus the benefit to your blog and your blog audience.

Oh yeah, and one more thing…write your posts all the way through and edit them first. Then go looking for links. I’ve tried to link as I’m writing – it takes even longer. So write first, edit, then link.

Linking has been one way the ways I’ve build relationships with other bloggers. And it’s certainly one of the ways that I’ve gained readers. There are other ways to find relevant links, of course. What do you do?

Hi, I’m Dawud Miracle. Professionally, I’m a blog and marketing consultant, business coach, educator and web developer who helps people use their websites to grow their business. Personally I’m a devoted husband and father to two, soon to be three, children. Please let me know if I can help you in any way.

This is fascinating. A part of me thought that you came up with the links first and then built content around them, but that didn’t make sense. I only do that when I find a specific post I want to reference – one that inspires the story. It makes more sense to write and then find the references.

Brilliant!

When I do programs and seminars, I love having people come up and tell me how much it meant to them that I commented on their blog or linked to them from my blog. They couldn’t believe that I’d found their blog in the first place.

I joke that “I’m everywhere”, but honestly, if someone links to me, I see the trackback and check out what they are saying, and then what they are blogging about. It’s that “linking” that creates the relationship between our blogs, and I do my best to thank them when I can and find out more about who they are in the process.

It’s opened up a whole new world of “friends”! All because of a link. Wow!

I found a useful little SEO tool called IBP which can provide you with sites that are relevant to your search subject. A lot of these sites are blogs you can post on, it gives a spreadsheet of all potential sites/blogs to contribute too. Pretty useful for SEO too!

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[…] How Do You Find Relevant Blog Posts To Link Too? Write your posts all the way through and edit them first. Then go looking for links. I’ve tried to link as I’m writing – it takes even longer. So write first, edit, then link. […]